Melanie Chapman - Chaotic Good
It’s me, hi, I’m the photographer, it’s me
Photography holds a special place in my shutter-happy heart.
In their simplest form, photographs are stories frozen in time. Every interaction, stolen glance, and bashful smiles speaks volumes about the love felt in those rooms. I have the honour of being the silent narrator, bringing us closer to the unseen moments and capturing the wild chaos that is a wedding celebration. Photography has always been my best medium for storytelling and I LOVE catching emotional reactions. Having lost close family young, I’ve held on tightly to the images and videos I have of them. People are so much more than just their relationship to you and photographs capture a piece of them in a moment. These timeless frames are what drives my storytelling and I can’t wait to create the next treasured memory.
There's something undeniably captivating about telling these tales through the medium of photography: a single image has the power to evoke nostalgia, laughter, and even tears. Weddings are my ultimate playground, where I can blend my love for storytelling, artistry, and genuine connections. Also, being swept away in the throng of people partying it up brings me a special kind of joy that can only be found when hearing 40+ people jubilantly shout the lyrics to ‘Dancing Queen’.
Can’t wait to know you = Mel
Photographed by Rachel Pick
“Goddamn I love this job”
— Me before, during and after every single celebration
She/Her
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Woman In STEM
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Night Owl
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D&D Critter
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Camping Gear Gal
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Hat Enthusiast
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Environmental Scientist
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She/Her • Woman In STEM • Night Owl • D&D Critter • Camping Gear Gal • Hat Enthusiast • Environmental Scientist •
My Backstory
“It all began with a breakup.”
Not mine, surprisingly. One of my ride-or-die friends came to me after splitting up with their partner and asked to go out to replace a profile picture with one that could give a little boost of confidence and put on a fresh face in a tough time. Of course, I was thrilled to help in any way I could. Having studied videography for the years prior, I hadn’t fully appreciated the simplicity that photography offered and, when we went out on that cloudy day, I had no idea what I was in for.
Snapping a few photos, I started to prompt and direct them in a manner that came shockingly naturally to me and I could see the impact a soft pose or genuine laugh had. A few words of affirmation on both sides and I was hooked. From then on, I sought out ways to capture any form of human connection, be it smiles, laughter, tears or any other funny face under the sun. Naturally, weddings bring out a height of human emotions and I have been honoured to memorialize some of those moments of intense joy and heartbreaking longing for loved ones over the past 8 years. Having lost close family members myself, I know all too well the importance of savouring every minute you have and celebrating as hard as you can.
As lucky as I am to capture others’ love stories, I’m even luckier to have one of my own!
